Biomaterials are being utilized to engender biomimetic, pro-regenerative constructs in the form of 3D scaffolds to augment functional neural tissue (brain tissue) repair and regeneration. Tissue engineered three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds have shown various degrees of experimental success, indicating great potential for development as treatment options. However, there is yet to be a 3D scaffold that exhibits consummate results of an effective clinical standard. Critical assessment of the performance of current 3D scaffolds could provide insightful feedback for tailoring future 3D scaffolds towards more promising results. This review provides a critical analysis of current 3D scaffolds for neural tissue engineering. Architectural properties, such as porosity, swelling, and architectural influences, such as design approach and polymeric material choice, were scrutinized for suitability for the desired tissue target properties. Success and shortcomings of various 3D scaffolds were evaluated through the analysis of tissue integration of the 3D scaffold in vivo. Investigations focused on in this review included those: (1) reporting at an in vivo experimental level in animal models, (2) involving polymer-based (natural/synthetic) scaffolds described as possessing a ‘3D’ architecture, (3) targeting brain tissue regeneration (4) published from 2011 onward.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) presents a serious challenge for modern medicine due to the poor regenerative capabilities of the brain, complex pathophysiology, and lack of effective treatment for TBI to date. Tissue-engineered scaffolds have shown some experimental success in vivo; unfortunately, none have yielded consummate results of clinical efficacy. N-acetylcysteine has shown neuroprotective potential. To this end, we developed a N-acetylcysteine (NAC)-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) electrospun system for potential neural tissue application for TBI. Scanning electron microscopy showed nanofiber diameters ranging 72–542 nm and 124–592 nm for NAC-free and NAC-loaded PLGA nanofibers, respectively. NAC loading was obtained at 28%, and drug entrapment efficacy was obtained at 84%. A biphasic NAC release pattern that featured an initial burst release (13.9%) stage and a later sustained release stage was noted, thus enabling the prolonged replenishing of NAC and drastically improving cell viability and proliferation. This was evidenced by a significantly higher cell viability and proliferation on NAC-loaded nanofibers for rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) and human glioblastoma multiform (A172) cell lines in comparison to PLGA-only nanofibers. The increased cell viability and cell proliferation on NAC-loaded nanofiber substantiates for the repositioning of NAC as a pharmacological agent in neural tissue regeneration applications.

This study investigated the seasonal variation of the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Eucalyptus radiata leaf essential oil. Young and mature Eucalyptus radiata leaf material was collected monthly (January 2014 to December 2014), hydrodistilled and analyzed using GC-MS. Essential oil yields ranged from 0.14% to 4.31% (w/w). The major compounds were 1,8-cineole (65.7% ± 9.5), α-terpineol (12.8% ± 4.4) and limonene (6.5% ± 2.4). Chemometric tools were used to determine seasonal variations, which showed slight variance in E. radiata chemistry between seasons. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay showed that the highest activity was noted against the Streptococci (0.19–2.00 mg/mL) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (0.19–1.75 mg/mL). The activity of the E. radiata leaf essential oil is dependent on the unique ratio of its compounds. The E. radiata leaf essential oil showed good oil yields, a relatively consistent chemical profile and noteworthy antimicrobial activity that rivals other commercial Eucalypt counterparts.

Illegible prescriptions are an illegal, frequent, and longstanding problem for pharmacy personnel engaged in dispensing. These contribute to patient safety issues and negatively impact safe dispensing in pharmaceutical delivery. To date, little is documented on measures taken to assess the negative impact posed by illegible prescriptions on South African pharmacy dispensing personnel. Therefore, this pilot study was performed to evaluate the ability of pharmacy personnel to read and interpret illegible prescriptions correctly; and to report on their perceived challenges, views and concerns when presented with an illegible prescription to dispense. A cross-sectional, three-tiered self-administered survey was conducted among pharmacy personnel. A total of 885 measurements were recorded. The ability to read an illegible prescription is not an indicator of competency, as all (100%) participants (novice and experienced) made errors and experienced difficulty evaluating and deciphering the illegible prescription. The medication names and dosages were correctly identified by only 20% and 18% of all participants. The use of digital prescriptions was indicated by 70% of the participants as a probable solution to the problem. Overall, improving the quality of written prescriptions and instructions can potentially assist dispensing pharmacy personnel in reducing illegible prescription-related patient safety issues and dispensing errors.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have emerged as promising materials for selectively targeting biomolecules, including quorum sensing autoinducers that regulate bacterial communication and biofilm formation. In this study, both single-template and dual-template strategies were employed to design and synthesize MIPs capable of capturing autoinducer-2 analogs using (3R,4S)-tetrahydro-3,4-furandiol (T1) or (R/S) 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane-4-methanol (T2) as the templates. This approach offers translational potential of a complementary or non-antibiotic strategy to conventional antimicrobial therapies in mitigating biofilm-associated infections. Computational modeling guided the rational selection of functional monomers, predicting favorable interaction energies (ΔE_C up to −135 kcal·mol⁻¹) and optimal hydrogen-bonding patterns to enhance template–polymer affinity. The synthesized MIPs were characterized using spectroscopic and microscopic techniques to confirm imprinting efficiency and structural integrity. The adsorption capacity measurements demonstrated higher adsorption capacity and selectivity of MIPs compared to non-imprinted polymers, with the highest selectivity equal to 3.36 for T1 and 3.14 for T2 on MIPs fabricated from methacrylic acid. Preliminary microbiological evaluations using Chromobacterium violaceum ATCC 12472 reveal that the MIPs prepared from 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate effectively inhibited violacein production by up to 78.2% at 5.0 mg·mL⁻¹, consistent with quorum sensing interference. These findings highlight the feasibility of employing molecular imprinting to target autoinducer-2 analogs, introducing a novel synthetic strategy for disrupting bacterial communication. This further suggests that molecular imprinting can be leveraged to develop potent quorum-sensing inhibitors, an approach that offers translational potential as an alternative to conventional antimicrobial strategies to mitigate biofilm-associated infections.

Central nervous system (CNS) disorders pose significant therapeutic challenges due to the blood–brain barrier (BBB), enzymatic degradation, and low drug bioavailability. Astrocytes, once considered passive supporting cells, are now being recognized as central regulators of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Nanoparticles capable of targeting astrocytes offer a promising strategy for modulating these pathological processes. This review critically evaluates the current landscape of astrocyte‐modulating nanotherapeutics across CNS diseases, identifying both mechanistic strengths and translational gaps. Despite the success of nose‐to‐brain drug delivery as a noninvasive route to bypass the BBB, most nanoparticle‐based studies neglect this pathway, and no FDA‐approved intranasal (IN) CNS formulations to date specifically target astrocytes. This review highlights this disconnect by analyzing both investigational nanoformulations and approved IN therapeutics, revealing a missed opportunity in CNS‐targeted therapy. Bridging this gap, by uniting the astrocyte specificity of engineered nanoparticles with the direct CNS access of IN delivery, presents a compelling frontier for the next generation of neurotherapeutics.